US Immigration Service Moves to Block Male Athletes from Women’s Sports

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued new policy guidance aimed at preventing male athletes from entering the country to compete in women’s sports. The measure follows Executive Order 14201, Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports, which instructs the Department of Homeland Security to develop rules protecting female-only sporting opportunities.

Under the new rules, certain athlete-related visas and petitions—previously open to men
—will now be restricted exclusively to women. This includes categories such as the O-1A visa for individuals of extraordinary ability, the E11 and E21 categories for those with extraordinary or exceptional ability, and national interest waivers (NIWs). USCIS says the changes are intended to “guarantee an even playing field for all women’s athletics” in the country.

Speaking on the update, USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said:

“Men do not belong in women’s sports. USCIS is closing the loophole for foreign male athletes whose only chance at winning elite sports is to change their gender identity and leverage their biological advantages against women. It’s a matter of safety, fairness, respect, and truth that only female athletes receive a visa to come to the U.S. to participate in women’s sports. The Trump Administration is standing up for the silent majority who’ve long been victims of leftist policies that defy common sense.”

The policy outlines several key positions:

• A male athlete competing against women will be considered less likely to qualify as being in the very top tier of their field.

• Success in men’s sports will not be viewed as a valid basis for competing in women’s sports in the U.S. under “extraordinary ability” criteria.

• Male athletes entering to compete in women’s sports will not be deemed to provide substantial benefit to the United States.

• It is not in the national interest to waive labour certification or job offer requirements for male athletes intending to participate in women’s sports.

The updated guidance appears in Volumes 2 and 6 of the USCIS Policy Manual. It takes effect immediately and applies to both pending and new applications. The new rules replace any previous related instructions and are now the controlling policy for relevant immigration decisions.